Moritz Seider is once again on track to finish with a modest points total. While it's still early, Seider has just two points in his first six games, and that less-than-stellar production may not be changing anytime soon.
While the Red Wings are playing better defense and their goaltending has been spectacular, Seider is leading all skaters in average total ice time by over three and a half minutes, and has logged 10 blocks and 16 hits.
Nobody is expecting anything different from Seider, and chances are, he doesn't mind playing the role he's played since he first skated into Hockeytown. He's been the glue of the defensive rotation, and often taking on a role better suited for two or even three blueliners, as opposed to just one.
It makes him arguably the Red Wings' most valuable player, even if the numbers aren't there from a points productivity standpoint. But it's not for a lack of trying. Only three players on the Red Wings have attempted more shots through those first six contests, compared to Seider's 25.
And despite a Corsi For Percentage of just 48.7, Seider is also second among all Red Wings' skaters in Corsi For minutes, with 113. He's only trailing Simon Edvinsson, who has 114.
Moritz Seider is still the lifeblood of the Detroit Red Wings
It's always a bonus when you have a durable, tenacious player like Moritz Seider. He has still never missed a game despite his bone-crushing playing style, and he routinely cuts off scoring lanes with blocks. His reckless abandonment has easily made him one of the most respected players in the Winged Wheel, but the question remains: When will Seider start playing a more well-rounded game?
Despite their points and winning streak, the Red Wings still play inconsistent hockey. They were awful in that first game vs. the Montreal Canadiens, and they didn't fare much better in the third game of the season against the Toronto Maple Leafs, despite sneaking away with the win.
But even when they have stepped up and dominated opponents, Seider was almost exclusively playing defense. 59.3 percent of his starts have come in the defensive zone, so he's been spending a lot of time on the Red Wings' side of the ice.
Until he's freed up to pitch in more offensively, expect more modest numbers from Seider. Right now, he's on pace for just 27 points. And while that number is bound to go up, even if he struggled through a campaign that saw him put up fewer than 40 points, it doesn't mean he's regressed.
Seider is still an impact player and is helping the Wings win often during the early stages of the season. And if the W's keep coming, who cares about Seider's points total? He's playing his role and playing it well.